From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishabrupta‧brupt /əˈbrʌpt/ ●○○ adjective 1 SUDDENLYsudden and unexpected an abrupt change of plancome to an abrupt end/halt etc The bus came to an abrupt halt.2 RUDE/IMPOLITEseeming rude and unfriendly, especially because you do not waste time in friendly conversation Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so abrupt. —abruptness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
abrupt• The contrast for the eleven-year-old with the more informal and less specialist work of the primary school was sharp and abrupt.• His departure was abrupt and completely unexpected.• His new boss was abrupt and didn't seem interested in his proposals.• Despite the three-hour length, the descent of Kathy Bates's character into madness is so abrupt as to be risible.• There may be an abrupt change in weather patterns.• There are no abrupt changes.!• In view of the Duchess of York's abrupt departure from the royal family in March this year it was a prudent decision.• It was, however, an apt symbol for the abrupt end of her government's honeymoon.• The police brought the demonstration to an abrupt end.• "Change it, " he says in his abrupt, no-nonsense style.• "It won't work, " Mitchell says in his abrupt, no-nonsense style.• There has been an abrupt shift in the government thinking regarding these issues.• Nothing could be more abrupt than the transition from childhood to school.• It was the abrupt way he pulled up running out a ball in Game 2 that alerted everyone there was a problem.abrupt change• He is used to abrupt changes.• There are no abrupt changes.!• The abrupt change from legacy to trust is very striking.• Sudden and abrupt changes in stance and orientation are off-putting for the opponent so work out some routines to achieve this.• Where the soil is different there are abrupt changes in the use which people have made of the land.• Severe risk was involved in any abrupt change in the way in which we dealt with journalists.• Policy analysis needs to be concerned with a flow of interrelated policies, with abrupt changes of direction a comparatively rare occurrence.• In the finale the abrupt changes of pace were contrasted to always good musical effect.Origin abrupt (1500-1600) Latin past participle of abrumpere, from ab- “away, off” + rumpere “to break” 